In Pictures: Balmoral blanketed in snow as Scotland faces worst of the cold snap

More than 54 schools shut in the Highland Council region on Friday because of the snow and at least 27 more closed in Aberdeenshire.

Balmoral Castle blanketed in snow on Friday morning (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Balmoral Castle has been covered in snow and ice as Scotland faces the brunt of the cold snap on Friday.

Temperatures reached as low as minus 6C at Tulloch Bridge on Thursday night.

The Met Office issued an amber alert for central-north Scotland and yellow warnings across the UK ahead of Storm Bert, which is set to arrive on Saturday and bring “heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK through the weekend”.

Other parts of the UK are also facing tough weather.